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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Scott Hunt

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to battle for pole position at Dutch Grand Prix

Lando Norris completed a practice clean sweep (Bradley Collyer/PA) - (PA Wire)

Lando Norris edged out Oscar Piastri in final practice for the Dutch Grand Prix as the McLaren title protagonists gear up for a pole position shoot-out.

Norris, who has won three of the last four races to close within nine points of Piastri in the drivers’ championship, completed a dominant practice clean sweep after topping both sessions on Friday.

The British driver put himself on top at Zandvoort by a healthy margin of 0.242 seconds in the final run before qualifying.

McLaren have once again been the class of the field on the sport’s return from its summer break.

George Russell was the nearest challenger to the papaya pair but staggeringly was almost nine tenths off Norris in his Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari were again well off the pace.

The seven-time world champion was over a second-and-a-half behind Norris in Friday’s opening running, where team-mate Charles Leclerc admitted the struggling Scuderia were “miles off”.

Hamilton, who spun twice on Friday, ended final practice down in 14th – a massive 1.401 seconds adrift of Norris – with Leclerc sixth but almost a second off the pace.

Qualifying for Sunday’s race gets under way at 1500 local time (1400 BST).

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